


All I Know Is We Said "Hello"

by wyvern



Series: Pornalot 2017 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkwardness, Co-workers, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 09:53:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11849118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyvern/pseuds/wyvern
Summary: Arthur fancies Merlin, but doesn't know how to express his feelings.





	All I Know Is We Said "Hello"

**Author's Note:**

> For Pornalot 2017 challenge 2: Tease. You can read the rest of the entries [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11793834?show_comments=true&view_full_work=true).
> 
> Merlin belongs to BBC, Shine, history and whatever else. It's not me. Thanks to nomical for the beta! (All remaining errors are my own.)

***

Nervous as hell, Arthur’s waiting in the reception area at the ground floor, awkwardly trying to wipe his sweaty hands on the inside of his jacket pockets when an older gentleman descends the stairs and smiles at him.

“Arthur?” he asks before reaching out and grabbing Arthur’s hand. “I’m Gaius, your new boss. Sorry for not being there for your interview, I was unfortunately abroad at the time.”

Giving Arthur’s immaculate suit and combed back hair a once over, he immediately explains that the workplace environment is ‘more informal than formal’, because there’s so many people from different countries working there, and ‘a good atmosphere is vital, so we try to make it fun for everyone’. Then he smiles and pats Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur mostly feels overwhelmed, and to make it worse, his hands haven’t stopped sweating either.

When they reach the third floor Gaius ushers him into the office and there are people everywhere. Most of them are wearing jeans and t-shirts and Arthur suddenly feels horribly overdressed. One of the guys wears something that looks like a long-sleeved kaftan with his skinny jeans. Someone is holding a coffee cup and someone else is laughing loudly. It’s like an alternate universe compared to any other office Arthur has ever worked in.

“Yes,” Gaius says. “We try to keep a relaxed work environment.”

Arthur just stares.

***

“This is Merlin, our language expert,” Gaius says and taps gently on a man’s shoulder, making him startle and turn around.

Arthur feels like he’s been punched in the gut with a freight train.

The guy has sharp cheekbones, black hair styled in that way it makes it look like he’s just got up out of bed, a pair of black-rimmed glasses and - behind them - beautiful blue eyes. The guy gets up, showing off a stunning wide smile and reaches out his hand. Arthur takes it, not fully aware of what he’s doing. His hand’s still sweaty and he feels his face burn with embarrassment. Forcing himself to look up, he notices how Merlin’s eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles.

Merlin’s hand is warm and secure and Arthur feels bereft when Merlin lets go.

“... though, isn’t it?”

Oh, shit.

“Um,” Arthur says and glances at Gaius.

Gaius saves him. “Yes, it’s quite difficult to learn all the names straight away, but I’m sure Arthur will manage it eventually.”

Smiling awkwardly, Arthur nods and blushes even more.

***

Six weeks later, Merlin’s smile is the first thing Arthur sees when he comes into the office most days. Today, Gwen is laughing madly at something’s Merlin’s said, prompting him to laugh with her. Six weeks of that smile. It makes Arthur’s heart beat faster, faster, faster, like an increasingly mad person beating a drum.

The IT guy, Gwaine, walks in after Arthur, slapping his arse on the way past. 

“Going to do anything about it, mate?” he asks and signs in both himself and Arthur on the fire safety sheet by the door.

Arthur goes beet red. “Shhh!” he snaps. “What if he’ll hear you?”

There’s no denying it -- Arthur’s fucking fallen for Merlin, and everyone knows it. Except hopefully Merlin. Hopefully.

Gwaine snorts. “Then maybe you’ll finally get fucking. You sure as hell could need it, you high-strung arse.”

His laugh follows Arthur all the way to his desk.

***

It’s the middle of August and time for Arthur’s first annual company summer fête. He stands underneath a big maidenhair tree in Kew Gardens, looking up at its crown. It’s nice of the company to invite everyone out to de-stress in this beautiful garden before treating them to dinner at a local pub later.

Everyone else is spread out in groups all over. It’s a massive garden with different areas for different kind of plants and trees. He’s currently alone, although he’s spent a lot of time with Gwaine, threatening to report him to HR for sexual harassment in the workplace. Gwaine had just laughed and flipped Arthur the bird as he wandered off.

Arthur doesn’t notice suddenly not being alone anymore.

“Hi Arthur.”

Arthur startles and almost falls backwards into the tree. Merlin grabs his arm to help him keep his balance, and they end up standing close together.

“Um, sorry,” Merlin says. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, that’s… that’s fine, really. You didn’t.”

Merlin smiles. “So you’re already drunk, then?”

“No! No, of course not. I wouldn’t…” Arthur can feel himself blush again. “Um…”

They stay like that, quiet, for a few seconds too long before Merlin releases Arthur’s arm. 

“Anyway,” he says, “sorry for startling you.”

“That’s quite okay. I guess. I…”

“Yeah,” Merlin says. “Want to go and look at the cactuses?”

***

It’s difficult to find things to talk about at first, but when Arthur fleetingly mentions Firefly, Merlin stops dead in his tracks and throws his hands up in frustration.

“Can you believe there wasn’t more than one season?! What kind of mad person couldn’t see it was a cult classic in the making!”

The indignation on Merlin’s face makes Arthur laugh. Merlin quiets and shoots him a small smile.

“You’re gorgeous,” he says simply, and leans in to kiss him.

***

If Merlin’s smile took Arthur’s breath away from across the office, it’s nothing compared to what it does when Merlin’s leaning over him, his lean arms shaking from the effort of holding himself up. When Merlin thrusts into his tight heat again, Arthur scrambles for something -- anything -- to hold onto, arching his back up from the damp sheets to get closer, closer, closer.

***

It’s nothing compared to the small, private smile Merlin gives Arthur afterwards, when they fall into bed together, sweaty, content and exhausted.

***

And it’s absolutely nothing compared to the smile Merlin gives Arthur on the day he proposes.

***  
THE END  
***


End file.
